Beet & Apple Hand Pies

Crust

• 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ½ c butter, very cold
• ¼ c ice water
• 1 egg, for egg wash

Filling

• 3 apples, chopped into ½-in cubes
• 1 small beet, top and bottoms trimmed and chopped into ½-in cubes
• ½ c sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp flour

To make the crust: combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut the cold butter up into ½-inch cubes and add to the flour mixture with a pastry cutter. Work the butter into the flour until butter is broken into pea sized pieces and the dough is the consistency of cornmeal. Then stir in the ice water and use your hands to mix it in until the dough just forms a ball. Resist the temptation to over work the dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The dough can also be made a day ahead of time.

To make filling: Add apples, beets, sugar, spices and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Then add 1 tbsp of flour and simmer for 1 minute, allowing filling to thicken slightly. Such that there is still liquid from the fruit in the bottom of the pan but it is no longer watery.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove pie dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Flip the dough a few times as you roll, lightly flouring each side as you do. This will keep it from sticking. Keep rolling until dough is approximately 1/8-inch thick. Use a 4-inch biscuit cutter to cut the dough into 12 rounds (if there is not enough room, re-roll the dough to make more). Remove surrounding dough scraps and use a spatula to gently place half of the rounds on a parchment lined sheet pan and place a heaping tbsp of pie filling into the center of each pie round.

To make the pie tops: lightly roll the remaining dough rounds so they stretch another ½-inch. This will make it easier to fit them over the pie filling. Lightly spread water around edge of the bottom pie round with your finger and drape the pie top round over top. Use a fork to seal the top and bottom dough together. Use a sharp knife to cut a small 'x' in the top layer of the pie dough. It will expand as it bakes and show the pink apple-beet filling.

Crack egg into a small dish and whisk with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush egg on tops of each pie. This will give the final pie a lovely golden shine! Bake for 35 minutes or until golden.